Realism in Comparison

Zahran’s 1996 depiction of a Dhikr ceremony captures the warmth of communal worship.

Mahmoud Said’s work, Whirling Dervishes, provides an opportunity to compare Said’s style with Zahran’s Realism. Whirling Dervishes celebrates Egypt’s spiritual heritage as enchanting and harmonious – the synchronized twirl of six men suggests an ideal spiritual unity.

Thematically, Zahran painted a similar scene, but the difference between the two depictions highlights Zahran’s Realism. Where Said depicts uniformed professionals, Zahran shows a gathering of men in various clothes, some coming straight from their jobs. These men are gathering for communal worship and the levity comes from their voluntary union after work. Where Said shows four windows peering into a clear sky, Zahran’s background shows the ornately decorated tents that transport the participants from city scenes to the spiritual present.